Replacing car system

[sanpt7777]

Hello, first of all I would like to introduce myself

name's Ricardo, 21 years old. I live in Mexico City and I've been wanting to upgrade my cars audio system for a long time. I drive a VW Gol which is basically a brazilian Polo. The car is nice and all but the sound system is seriously cheap and I would like to get some proper SQ

I think this is the right place to ask some newbish questions before I start my build thread. I googled A LOT and found very useful info here so I decided to sign up.

My car currently has a single din head unit, two 6.5" speakers mounted low in the doors, 2 tweeters inside A pillars and two 4" speakers in the back right next to C pillars (its a hatchback).

I would like to know what do you guys think of my planned setup for my car and get some orientation as to whats best for my needs because the current aftermarket offerings are overwhelming, yet I'm sure 70% of it is rubbish

I would be willing to spend big amounts of money on this but I don't have them. So I decided instead of buying all at once I'll do my install one/two things at a time

-Part 1: Replace front speakers. I am considering Focal speakers, which I can find in Mexico (maybe even get the tweeters and replace everything right away). Only thing is I am not sure which model exactly to go for. I'll begin ASAP with this, just need to find the right speakers and I'll get them.

-Part 2: Replace head unit with something iPod/iPhone ready, as it is my main source of music.

I'm considering Pioneer MVH series, but due to it being full of colors and media options, my gut tells me it may be lacking in the SQ department

-Part 3: Install amplifier for speakers. I'm still very uninformed about which to buy so I'll keep informing myself before saying something stupid and update later.

-Part 4: Install woofer and its respective mono amp. I'm still debating between underseat or trunk mount woofer. The internet says trunk mount is better.

-Last I will install rear coaxials for the passengers, as I plan on sending everything except bass to the front. I can get right now a deal on two Rainbow SL130 coaxial speakers for about 130 USD (1,500 mexican pesos) so this could become part 1. The seller says he has 6 pairs, he bought them back in 2000 and cant sell them yet, but they are new. Any thoughts on this? Were talking about 14 yo speakers but it's also a pair of Rainbows for 130 bucks. I've heard lots of good things about rainbow.

I will check here on the forums about soundproofing my car, I dont know if I should do that first or last, and replacing wiring, which I guess should be done whit every new thing I add.

I listen to metal (mainly thrash), gangsta rap, grunge and 60's to 70's rock. I'm also starting to like electronic music so I think I'll need a versatile system that can adapt to different kinds of music.

Lots of thanks in advance, as I said before I'll start a build thread when I buy Part 1 or the rear coaxials

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[sanpt7777]

So, I found a thread meant to avoid noob questions. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/banghead.gif.8606515f668c74f6de0281deb475b6fd.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif Anyway, I would still appreciate your opinion on this.

 

[skdooley 10+ year member]

To meet your listening tastes you'll definitely want to put focus on your front stage. Sound deaden the doors, and run a nice amount of power to your components, especially your mids. A lot of the response you'll be looking for with rock and such will come down to how good your mid range/mid bass is. For the sub stage I would figure out how much room you have, then based on the power you'll be running, look for a sub that will do well sealed and run the largest you have room for. Porting will be more efficient but having a large diameter sub in the right sized sealed enclosure will produce a nice response and still dig plenty deep.

 

[sanpt7777]

To meet your listening tastes you'll definitely want to put focus on your front stage. Sound deaden the doors, and run a nice amount of power to your components, especially your mids. A lot of the response you'll be looking for with rock and such will come down to how good your mid range/mid bass is. For the sub stage I would figure out how much room you have, then based on the power you'll be running, look for a sub that will do well sealed and run the largest you have room for. Porting will be more efficient but having a large diameter sub in the right sized sealed enclosure will produce a nice response and still dig plenty deep.

Yes I only use the rears when I have passengers.

I was considering changing my plan and amplifying the stock setup, then go with the sub, replace speakers and last replace HU

I'm still confused with respect to amps, would you think it's ok to:

-4 channel amp for front speakers and rear coaxials

-2 channel amp for tweeters

-Mono amp for bass.

Or do all speakers with one amp and woofer with its mono amp.

I also read just what you said, bigger woofer always, even if I don't want to shake the block it will move more air right? And do its job properly

Thanks for the advice, as a noob it's always appreciated

 

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

if it were me I would just get a 4 channel and run a set of passive components up front, forget the rear fill and bridge the other two channels to one subwoofer. Easy and simple for a starter setup

 

[sanpt7777]

if it were me I would just get a 4 channel and run a set of passive components up front, forget the rear fill and bridge the other two channels to one subwoofer. Easy and simple for a starter setup

This sounds like what I'm looking for. Then when I want I can upgrade (to a mono amp for the sub) and the 4 channel amp wont need to be replaced.

With passive components you mean tweeters and mid speakers wired in parallel to two channels and use a crossover to filter frequencies for each? This sounds like a good idea so I don't have to spend money in a woofer amp

 

[CSCStang]

Get a 5 channel. When you buy components you get passives with them.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

This sounds like what I'm looking for. Then when I want I can upgrade (to a mono amp for the sub) and the 4 channel amp wont need to be replaced.With passive components you mean tweeters and mid speakers wired in parallel to two channels and use a crossover to filter frequencies for each? This sounds like a good idea so I don't have to spend money in a woofer amp

no, passive components have a crossover included in the package, that crossover splits the power and signal between the mids and highs and the components. Basically does the job for you, its just plug and play. What you were planning to do earlier was running active which requires messing around with different crossover points and powering up everything seperately and tuning them seperately.

 

[whitemax 10+ year member]

Good advice all around. As for the Rainbow speakers, see if you can get them for a lower price as they are a little older now. They are good sounding speakers though, & I would still get them. In my previous car, I had the SL 165's in the rear doors & Rainbow CS 265 Profi Phase Plugs up front. I gave the car to my son along with all the audio gear....he was very happy.

 

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

This sounds like what I'm looking for. Then when I want I can upgrade (to a mono amp for the sub) and the 4 channel amp wont need to be replaced.With passive components you mean tweeters and mid speakers wired in parallel to two channels and use a crossover to filter frequencies for each? This sounds like a good idea so I don't have to spend money in a woofer amp

Yup, you can always keep the 4 channel and add a higher power monoblock down the road if you are not satisfied. Just get good quality 4 channel for now but make sure it makes at least 100 watts RMS per channel and you wont regret it (go higher RMS if your budget allows). But doing this will cancel the rear fills when running it how I mentioned earlier. You'd be surprised at how loud and clean a good pair of deadened and sealed doors perform up front (at one point I was debating if I needed a sub after sealing up my doors and only running a set of components up front). Good luck

 

[sanpt7777]

Guys, thanks everybody for the good advice. I won't be doing anything for now (this month) because a couple of parts were stolen from my car and now I need to use the money on that //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif I'll keep updating though

As for the Rainbows, I may not buy them after all, I asked the vendor for warranty and he said "the warranty is that this are GERMAN MADE speakers" and answered the same thing 3 times and I was like well, but that is not good enough for 14 yo speakers (he had a couple of them so he could easily cover them with a warranty and replace them but well...)

 

[sanpt7777]

Well, this must be a joke. Not only I got parts stolen, a couple of hours ago my car was crashed outside my house while I was showering... I don't know if I can post pics from my phone

 

[NinjaBass]

Well, this must be a joke. Not only I got parts stolen, a couple of hours ago my car was crashed outside my house while I was showering... I don't know if I can post pics from my phone

Dang man. I hope you know who did it.

 

[sanpt7777]

Dang man. I hope you know who did it.

Yes mate at least I know who did it. It was a lady who, in her own words, was distracted looking for something under the seat and managed to crash the only car on the street (mine) while doing it. At least her insurance is supposed to take care of it but I haven't heard news from them in 2 weeks. They were supposed to just value the damage so I can get my money. Today I'll show up at the shop where my car is supposed to be. I've been calling and they never answer or the person who deals with clients isn't there.



Body panels doesn't look too damaged but the steering is. I always leave my steering aiming at the sidewalk as I live in a downhill and she hit it pretty hard on the wheel. The car even went down like a couple of meters from where it was parked. Oh, and you can (can't actually xD) see those mising fog lights that were stolen xD

I hope to continue with this ASAP, I'll keep you updated about that sound system.

Greetings!

 

[blazian87 10+ year member]

Guys, thanks everybody for the good advice. I won't be doing anything for now (this month) because a couple of parts were stolen from my car and now I need to use the money on that //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif I'll keep updating though
As for the Rainbows, I may not buy them after all, I asked the vendor for warranty and he said "the warranty is that this are GERMAN MADE speakers" and answered the same thing 3 times and I was like well, but that is not good enough for 14 yo speakers (he had a couple of them so he could easily cover them with a warranty and replace them but well...)

I have ran my rainbow speakers for years now and I have no need to find any other pair. Yes, they are german made so there is no warranty .. It is just over-engineered. They handle anything you can throw at it. Very power hungry. Much more efficient going active but more time consuming and expensive. When I bought them, they were brand new but I think it said it was made in 1996. They are very old now but they also have a whole new line now that might be worth checking out.

Sux to hear what happened to your car man.. I hope everything works out for you..